The Committee of the Regions of the European Union adopted a report recommending the European Commission "to take into consideration the specific natural features of Outermost Regions when structuring the information and promotion programmes of EU agricultural products."

 The adoption of this report was announced today by the Regional Under Secretary for the Presidency for External Relations at the end of the plenary session held by that Committee in Brussels. The meeting served to analyse the proposal for EU regulations on information and promotion actions of agricultural products in the internal market and in third countries.

 For Rodrigo Oliveira, the position taken "welcomes this new European framework favourably. It has the clear purpose of reinforcing the knowledge of European consumers and external markets on quality, production standards, food safety standards and the rules on environmental protection of European agriculture. This measure is expected to boost consumers' confidence in these products and encourage them to buy more."

 According to Rodrigo Oliveira, the Committee of the Regions "reinforces the importance of the agricultural sector for European regions and, thus, recommends that regional features become a relevant factor in the implementation of programmes to be run by Brussels."

 On the eve of the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions, the Greek Presidency of the European Union reached an agreement between the institutions on the proposed regulation. It will be now ratified by the European Council and Parliament, which, according to the government official, embodies a "significant advance" in the support to professional associations.

 "The support is evidenced by substantial increase in funding rates, which may reach up to 70% in the shares of an entity in a single country, 80% when involving producers' associations from several member states and 85% in situations of crisis. All of these rates may benefit from 5% increase in the case of countries under financial assistance," stressed the Regional Under Secretary.

 The Committee of the Regions further notes in its report that the information and promotion actions are particularly relevant in the context of EU free trade agreements, taking into account "the challenges of open borders and market globalisation that European producers are facing."

 "This EU tool is undoubtedly important for the assertion of agriculture and production not only in the European market, but also in exports to markets outside Europe," said the government official.

 In this regard, Rodrigo Oliveira considered that "this is an important tool for the Region in order to reinforce the competitiveness of regional agricultural production and its promotion in several markets."